Mental Health Summit helps address growing concerns of depression, anxiety in community

By Lorraine Glowczak

According to the World Health Organization (WHO) mental health conditions are increasing worldwide and there has been a 13 percent rise in mental health conditions and substance use disorders in the last decade. WHO states that around 20 percent of the world’s children and adolescents have a mental health condition, with suicide the second leading cause of death among 15- to 29-year-olds. 

In response to the concerns surrounding the growing social, emotional, and mental health needs of the children and students in the Windham and Raymond communities, RSU 14 and Be The Influence (BTI) have joined forces to offer a community-wide online Mental Health Summit. The program will be held via Zoom from 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Oct. 7 and Friday, Oct. 8.

“It has become increasingly apparent that it will take a coordinated community response in order to meet the mental health needs of our youth,” RSU 14 Assistant Superintendent, Christine Frost-Bertinet said. “This summit is about bringing community members together, alongside educators and youth, to engage in new learning and conversations that support a healthier community response.”

Connecting people with resources is another important desired outcome of this summit. 

“Never in history have we seen such a need for mental health to be addressed,” said Laura Morris, BTI Project Director. “Resources are thin and no one knows where to go.”

The summit will provide a plethora of experts in the field of mental health and wellness and will include two keynote speakers, John T. Broderick, former Chief Justice of New Hampshire Supreme Court and Dr. Matt Bellace, a clinical psychologist and standup comedian.

Broderick, who now dedicates his time reaching out to students, educators, parents and communities to change the conversation on mental health and to help reduce stigma, will be the keynote speaker for Thursday’s event. 

Dr. Bellace will lead Friday’s program with a stand-up routine entitled, “Life is disappointing and other inspiring thoughts.” 

Breakout sessions will be offered as well to include a variety of topics about resiliency, safety and wellbeing, trauma-responsive strategies for youth, arts in prevention, youth and family peer support, engaging in compassionate conversations, and much more.

In the past couple of years, the growing need to focus on the social and emotional well-being of students is what inspired the Mental Health Summit.

“There are a number of factors that led to the idea of hosting a Mental Health Summit for the Windham and Raymond communities,” Frost-Bertinet said. “First and foremost, it is important to give credit to the district’s Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Team members who represent schools and various positions across the district in response to the needs of all students. The SEL Team was developed during the 2019-2020 school year. During the 2020-2021 school year, the district staff, students, and families were faced with unimaginable challenges as a result of COVID-19. Throughout the year, discussions at SEL Team meetings were focused on the mental health of children, staff, and families as we were called to navigate our way through unprecedented times.” 

Frost-Bertinet also added that a district and town group formed to focus on homelessness and other serious community issues that demanded collective attention and collaboration. “Out of those initial discussions emerged a conversation focused on ways in which we could better meet the mental health needs of our communities. This summit is one outcome of those conversations.”

It was during these gatherings that Frost-Bertinet and Morris met and developed the idea of offering a summit to educate, support and offer resources to students, staff and the community.

“Laura and her work with BTI Coalition, has partnered with RSU 14 for a number of years,” Frost-Bertinet said. “Her efforts to educate youth and the greater community have served to elevate critical conversations. While much of the work of BTI is focused on substance abuse education, she has spent considerable time working with district staff, students, and community members to raise awareness around the importance of balance and strategies to support mental health.”

Frost-Bertinet added that this collaboration was a natural next step, stating that Morris’ extensive connections and resources within the mental health field served to support a robust program offering.

Morris and Frost-Bertinet both hope that participants will walk away from this summit with new understandings about mental illness, along with resources and strategies to support our individual and collective responses to children and one another. 

“We really encourage people to attend as this relates to everyone,” Morris said. “We all need this so badly. Please don’t miss this opportunity because you will come away with a better understanding of what is happening in your own life and in the lives of others. Please help us spread the word.”

There is no registration required to attend the online Mental Health Summit. Zoom links can be found on the school’s website at RSU14.org. For those who may have difficulty accessing a computer or the internet, please contact Christine Frost-Bertinet by calling 207-892-1800 so that arrangements can be made. <